![Utica Comets](https://www.oursportscentral.com/graphics/teams/resized/ahl_utica_comets21-200.png)
Comets Use Third Period Surge to Defeat Senators, 3-2
March 9, 2024 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Utica Comets News Release
Utica, NY. - The Comets were back at home on Saturday night coming off a shootout loss against a division rival the previous night. Despite taking a single point in a shootout loss on Friday, the Comets were determined to grab two points for themselves and keep two points from the Belleville Senators, their opponents on Saturday at the Adirondack Bank Center. The massive crowd roared as the Comets took to the ice and they wouldn't relent all game long trying to spur their team to a victory as the Comets looked to inch closer to a playoff spot. As the contest wore on, the Comets found themselves down going into the final period of regulation but managed to use the powerplay to surge offensively and grab two points in a victory in a 3-2 win.
During the opening period, it was the Senators who capitalized on a powerplay goal by Josh Currie who struck at 14:31 skirting the puck just passed goaltender, Isaac Poulter. It was the only goal of the first period as the Comets headed into the intermission down 1-0.
In the middle frame, it was the Comets who worked to tie the game and it took the captain to get it done. As Comets forward Graeme Clarke blasted a shot that was going wide, Ryan Schmelzer helped deflect it into the net at 5:28 for his 14th goal of the season tying the game at 1-1. Later, the Senators recaptured the lead after the Comets failed on an odd man rush moments earlier, Belleville took advantage and rushed down the ice where Egor Sokolov knifed the puck passed Poulter at 9:43. The period concluded with the Comets trailing 2-1.
During the final period of regulation, Chase Stillman blasted a shot through a screen and tied the contest at 13:13 for his 12th goal of the season. The goal that made it 2-2 was assisted by Justin Downling and Santeri Hatakka. As the crowd rose to their feet to cheer the tying goal, they barely had a chance to sit down as the game winner was scored on the poweroplay as Topias Vilen sent the puck to Nolan Foote who proceeded to blast it passed Belleville goalie, Leevi Merilainen at 16:56. The goal made the game 3-2 and it was all the offense the team needed. Poulter shut the door the rest of the way and skated away with the victory making 14 saves on 16 shots.
The Comets are back in action against tomorrow against the Rochester Americans on the road at 4:05pm before heading to Belleville to play the Senators for the last time in the regular season on Wednesday.
Single game tickets are now available for the 2023-24 season. Visit uticacomets.com/tickets for more information. Season Ticket Memberships are also available for the 2023-24 Season. Tickets are still available. Visit www.uticacomets.com/tickets for more information.
• Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message board...
American Hockey League Stories from March 9, 2024
- Hogs Win Sixth Straight After Cates Scores Twice in Four-Goal First Period - Rockford IceHogs
- Islanders Edge Wolf Pack in Overtime - Bridgeport Islanders
- Griffins Fall to Milwaukee in Battle of Top Two Central Division Teams - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Barracuda Outshined by Stars, 6-3 - San Jose Barracuda
- Belleville Sens Keep Hold Of Third Place In The North After A Loss In Utica - Belleville Senators
- Amerks Doubled up in Rematch with Crunch - Rochester Americans
- Ads Snap Skid With Win Over Griffins - Milwaukee Admirals
- Blumel and Becker Score Twice, Stars Split with Barracuda - Texas Stars
- Wolves Fall Short to IceHogs 4-1 - Chicago Wolves
- Moose Take Down Wild, 4-1 - Manitoba Moose
- Manitoba Scores Four Unanswered to Down Iowa 4-1 - Iowa Wild
- Ex-Marlies & Ellis Dazzle in 5-1 T-Birds' Rout of Toronto - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Wolf Pack Strike Twice in Third Period to Bank Point, But Fall 3-2 to Islanders in the Shootout - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Crunch Top Americans, 4-2 - Syracuse Crunch
- Penguins Fall to Phantoms in St. Pat's Game, 4-2 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Comets Use Third Period Surge to Defeat Senators, 3-2 - Utica Comets
- Huntington, Phillips Pace Bears to 3-2 Win over Checkers - Hershey Bears
- Silver Knights Shut Down by Abbotsford, 6-0, in Second of Back-To-Back - Henderson Silver Knights
- Canucks Close out Road Trip with a 6-0 Victory over the Henderson Silver Knights - Abbotsford Canucks
- Checkers Fall Just Short in 3-2 Loss to Hershey - Charlotte Checkers
- Monsters Tripped up in 5-2 Loss to Rocket - Cleveland Monsters
- Capitals Loan Hunter Shepard to Hershey - Hershey Bears
- B-Sens Agree to Professional Tryout with Forward Tag Bertuzzi - Belleville Senators
- Game Preview: Condors v Eagles, 7 p.m. - Bakersfield Condors
- Providence Bruins Recall Curtis Hall and Ryan Mast from Maine Mariners - Providence Bruins
- Hogs' Win Streak on the Line in Rivalry Game - Rockford IceHogs
- Detroit Recalls Jonatan Berggren from Griffins - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Ginning and Lycksell Returned to Phantoms - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Game Preview: Iowa Wild vs. Manitoba Moose - Iowa Wild
- Wolf Pack Visit Islanders in Latest Installment of 'Battle of Connecticut' - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Game Preview: Bears at Checkers, 6 p.m. - Hershey Bears
- Bridgeport Islanders Host Wolf Pack for the Final Time this Season - Bridgeport Islanders
- Game #55: Tucson Roadrunners vs. Coachella Valley Firebirds - Tucson Roadrunners
- Power Play Stalls in Eagles' 3-1 Loss at Bakersfield - Colorado Eagles
- Gulls Taken Down by Firebirds 5-1 - San Diego Gulls
- Holloway Scores in Return to the Lineup as the Condors Win Their Third of the Season Against Colorado - Bakersfield Condors
- The Canucks Fall 4-2 Against The Henderson Silver Knights - Abbotsford Canucks
- Firebirds' Offense Shines In 5-1 Win Over Gulls - Coachella Valley Firebirds
- Silver Knights Triumph Over Abbotsford, 4-2, In First Of Weekend Series - Henderson Silver Knights
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
![OurSports Central](https://www.oursportscentral.com/assets/img/footer-logo-latest.png)